Don't mean to toot my own horn... but I took a list at code referenced at
that link and frankly I wouldn't do it that way. For a couple of reasons
but in so far as I can tell by just reading the code it may not work
properly. Not saying it "doesn't" just that it might not.
Why? Because the QuickSort used in .Net is not a "stable sort". That means
that subsequent sorts of the same data are not guaranteed to maintain order
when two items are identical (i.e. already sorted.) A stable sort algorithm
wouldn't move two items if they are equal and a non-stable sort algorithm
would (and does). It gains speed this way but the result is if you sort one
column and then sort another column the first sort can change making them
unsorted again. It could be that the fellow accomodates this in his code
but I couldn't see it.
What I did to solve it (some years ago) is introduce a stable sort option
which insures that multiple calls maintain earlier sorts. Instead of having
to pass an array of values or run it through a special routine you simply
ask for something along the lines of: object.SortStable( item ) on as many
items as you want.
The code would have to be adapted a bit but if anybody is interested you
should be able to find it here:
http://www.searchcsla.com/Search.aspx where
it was archived. Enter "Sort" for the search criteria and you'll see a
couple of threads including "Stable Sort Solved" which is where I posted the
code.
Seems a shame to have the code go to waste if somebody can use it.
Tom
